Based on how tonight’s episode started, I was ready to join the ever-growing chorus of Lost fans complaining about the show and it’s lack of real developments in the form of “answers.” We get more cliched, manufactured melodrama courtesy of Sawyer and Kate looking sad and glancing at each other over shoulders, and Hurley’s dad telling him about the power of hope and making your own luck, and the genesis of Hugo’s rotund physique, etc, etc. Boo frickity hoo. And gee, juxtaposing a rabbit’s foot with Hurley’s curse wasn’t too heavy-handed. Thankfully, all that stuff was in the rear view mirror after the first commercial break, as we got something of a lighter episode centering around a Dharma/VW hippie bus Hurley finds in the middle of the jungle. It’s amazing how much stuff these castaways keep finding within a stone’s throw of their beach. I’m guessing they’ll find a helicopter, a trampoline and a McDonald’s before the season’s through.
I’m not gonna talk about the show’s obvious themes of hope and luck, because it’s plain enough just watching it. That means I’ll be going to the bullet points early this week, but one thing worth addressing is the show’s seeming loss of momentum over the past few episodes. The show’s lost a lot of viewers, and resorting to the same, tired crap they’ve been doing for 2+ seasons now (the Sawyer/Kate/Jack triangle, Hurley cursed, the Others becoming more mysterious the more we see of them, Rousseau the tragic woman of the wilderness, etc.) isn’t helping to stop the hemorrhaging.
The creative staff needs to start building toward some relevant developments next week or they’re gonna lose more than just their fair weather fans. By the looks of things, that might be just what’s happening by episode’s end, with Kate, Locke, Sayid and Rousseau set to head north (thanks to the direction of Eko’s Jesus stick) in search of Jack and the Others. I look forward to seeing the return of Eye-Patch Man, a new Dharma station (The Flame?), and maybe a return visit to Otherville, USA. As much promise as that holds, the spiral into mediocrity that Alias took in its final seasons will always be in the back of my mind as long as this show is on ABC and associated with JJ Abrams. Lost deserves a much better fate.
Quick Hits
- The centerpiece of the episode, the Dharma bus, also gave us a new Dharma employee who met an unfortunate end. Roger “Work Man,” who Sawyer described as the Dharma janitor, looks to be wearing the same sort of duds we saw on Adam and Eve in the polar bear cave. I eagerly await the episode that finally shows the Initiative in its prime on the island. We may have to wait a couple years.
I’m not altogether convinced with Sawyer’s assessment of him being a glorified custodian however. Why wouldn’t you just stitch “Janitor” onto the shirt if he was a janitor? My mental capacity is dwindling at the moment, so I shan’t devote more of it to processing the phrase, “Work Man” right now. Perhaps a term denoting some sort of division of labor amongst the Initiative’s members. Happy speculating.
- I liked the little touch with the golden Jesus Hurley’s mom was admiring. Thoughts of golden calfs and false idols come to mind (more in terms of the metallurgical content of the statue rather than the visage–I would never call J.C. a false idol).
- We get a nice glimpse at Roger’s map of the island and the plans for a road while Sawyer cleans out the van.
That looks like Swan Station on the right. One presumes Roger was driving along that very road, now overgrown, at the time of his demise. What exactly killed him, though? Was he drinking and driving? Did he swerve to avoid a polar bear? Foul play? Do these questions irritate you as much as they do me? I’d also like to get a good look at what’s on all those scraps of paper in the bus’s backseat.
- Sawyer’s Comedy Cafe was open for business and in full swing tonight. My favorite line was, “Skeletor seems to like it; bottom’s up!”
The line about “Jumbotron” was pretty good, too.
- The producers couldn’t swing a deal with YAMAHA to showcase their motorcycle? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard nothing but great things about the “AMAH” line of bikes.
- The ever-ubiqutious Randy makes his 4th or 5th appearance on Lost, this time as Hurley’s underling at the newly-purchased Mr. Cluck’s. We’ve previously seen Randy as Hurley’s boss at the aforementioned eatery, and as Locke’s boss at the box company.
We get to see the meteor destroy Mr. Cluck’s, which also destroys the lovely Tricia Tanaka. Hurley mentioned the meteor way back in season 1.
Other Stuff from Other Sites
- The song bookending the episode? Don’t know.
edit: “Shambala” by Three Dog Night, thanks to davo.
In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala (also spelled Shambala or Shamballa) is a mystical kingdom hidden somewhere beyond the snowpeaks of the Himalayas. It is mentioned in various ancient texts, including the Kalachakra Tantra and the ancient texts of the Zhang Zhung culture which pre-dated Tibetan Buddhism in western Tibet. The Bön scriptures speak of a closely-related land called Olmolungring. [Wikipedia]
Ah, but of course!
- The official podcast spent 5 minutes talking about Jack’s tattoos. Yippee.
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it is interesting to note that an AMAH is a maidservant in the east (HK, Thailand, etc.). In Hong Kong, there is a naturally occurring rock which resembles an Amah carrying a baby. It is appropriately named, Amah Rock. The entry at Wikipedia for Amah Rock has a very LOST relevant story: According to a legend, the faithful wife of a fisherman climbed the hills every day, carrying her son, to watch for the return of her husband, not knowing he had been drowned at sea. In reward for her faithfulness she was turned into a rock by the Goddess of the Sea so that her spirit could unite with that of her husband. [Sledgeweb]
That sounds like some of the outlandish crap I come up with each week.